ociated further with you or your fellows; but you are
vastly mistaken if you imagine that I shall resign my position on the
Bench or the Town Council.--Yours,
"JOHN BUILDER."

RALPH. I say--keep your sense of humour, old boy.

BUILDER. [Grimly] Humour? I've spent a night in a cell. See this!
[He holds out the document] It disinherits my family.

RALPH. John!

BUILDER. I've done with those two ladies. As to my wife--if she doesn't
come back--! When I suffer, I make others suffer.

RALPH. Julia's very upset, my dear fellow; we all are. The girls came
here to try and--

BUILDER. [Rising] They may go to hell! If that lousy Mayor thinks I'm
done with--he's mistaken! [He rings the bell] I don't want any soft
sawder. I'm a fighter.

RALPH. [In a low voice] The enemy stands within the gate, old chap.

BUILDER. What's that?

RALPH. Let's boss our own natures before we boss those of other people.
Have a sleep on it, John, before you do anything.

BUILDER. Sleep? I hadn't a wink last night. If you'd passed the night
I had--

RALPH. I hadn't many myself.

TOPPING enters.

BUILDER. Take this note to the Mayor with my compliments, and don't
bring back an answer. TOPPING. Very good, sir. There's a gentleman
from the "Comet" in the hall, sir. Would you see him for a minute, he
says.

BUILDER. Tell him to go to--

A voice says, "Mr Builder!" BUILDER turns to see the figure of the
JOURNALIST in the hall doorway. TOPPING goes out.

JOURNALIST. [Advancing with his card] Mr Builder, it's very good of you
to see me. I had the pleasure this morning--I mean--I tried to reach you
when you left the Mayor's. I thought you would probably have your own
side of this unfortunate matter. We shall be glad to give it every
prominence.

TOPPING has withdrawn, and RALPH BUILDER, at the window, stands
listening.

BUILDER. [Drily, regarding the JOURNALIST, who has spoken in a pleasant
and polite voice] Very good of you!

JOURNALIST. Not at all, sir. We felt that you would almost certainly
have good reasons of your own which would put the matter in quite a
different light.

BUILDER. Good reasons? I should think so! I tell you--a very little
more of this liberty--licence I call it--and there isn't a man who'll be
able to call himself head of a family.

JOURNALIST. [Encouragingly] Quite!

BUILDER. If the law thinks it